18. 3B Kevin Youkilis (Signed a one-year, $12 million contract with the New York Yankees) / David Richard, USA TODAY Sports

by Bob Nightengale, USA TODAY Sports

by Bob Nightengale, USA TODAY Sports

After a brief layover with the Chicago White Sox, Kevin Youkilis is switching sides in the American League's most heated rivalry.

Youkilis has agreed to terms on a one-year, $12 million deal with the New York Yankees, according to a person with direct knowledge of the agreement, but not authorized to discuss it because it is pending a physical.

Youkilis becomes the seventh player from the 2004 World Series champion Red Sox to join the Yankees, following Johnny Damon, Mike Myers, Mark Bellhorn, Doug Mientkiewicz, Alan Embree and Derek Lowe.

Youkilis, who turns 34 in March, will see time at designated hitter, first and third base, and figures to get the majority of playing time at third while Alex Rodriguez recovers from hip surgery scheduled in January.

He spent parts of nine seasons in Boston and is a lifetime .283 hitter. He's averaged 23 home runs and 96 RBI per season in his career, but hit 19 home runs with 60 RBI in 2012, when he clashed with Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine before a June 24 trade to the Chicago White Sox.